A Date on The Citadel
by squigglysquid
Summary: -Part of the Parable Series- Solana and James finally have a moment in between his duties and they share it at a quaint little cafe on the Citadel. (For a Tumblr Prompt)


Today was the day Solana has been waiting _five Palaven standard weeks_ for, the first day of her week on the Citadel in the company of her wonderful human mate, James Vega. While not yet to the point of marking each other - or marrying in human terms - she feels confident in their relationship to call him such. Plus, it doesn't hurt that he seems to beam whenever she says it, even if she doesn't think it compares to the sweet things he calls her in his own language.

Bouncing at the luggage claim for her bag, Sol growls in irritation at the stupid thing moving slower than an elcor's joke delivery. The man next to her glances her way, clearing his throat loudly, and she glares at him, daring him to make another sound at her about her uncensored vocals. He huffs and looks away, probably cursing her for her youth and disrespect, but she doesn't care. She's waited too long for today to be concerned with social etique.

Spirits, her brother does much worse and gets away with it all the time. She'll let herself relax with James and just enjoy herself. It's not like she's hurting anyone by having fun.

When her floral-designed luggage finally appears, sliding down and on to the conveyor belt, she chirps once in rushes to grab it. Nudging those still waiting for their luggage to appear, she rumbles and says apologies in passing to those she touches or who grunt in disapproval of her manners, not dwelling on how she's looking to the elders in the group. She grabs her bag and smiles as she sees it unharmed from the trip and makes it out of the way, the crowd parting now - possibly out of fear of her just pushing her way through again. Rolling the luggage behind her, she has to struggle not to run out to the visitor's lobby of the docks, knowing James will be waiting for her. She just hopes he hasn't had to wait long for her.

Anxious to be out of the docks and out with him, she trills and lifts on her toes to try and see through the crowd. Luckily, being a turian gets her higher than most of the other species, but there are still some males walking around and in her way. She huffs in exasperation and is about to open her omni-tool to ask where he is and where they can meet outside of the crowds, but she stops when his voice calls out to her. Vocals squealing in excitement, she flares her mandibles and looks up, seeing him waving to her and wearing that wonderful grin of his.

Moving as fast as she can through the bustling crowd, Sol runs the last few steps and wraps her arms around his shoulders, vocals unable to decide between chirps and purrs. He laughs as he hugs her, arms like a warm, welcoming vise around her. She always loved his 'bear hugs' as they're called. They just feel like he's putting all his love and affection into each squeeze, even if she's sure his hugs probably aren't as accepted by others without her protective plates and thicker hide. Not to mention the added benefit of being able to smell his unique scent when they're this close.

"There you are, my muñeca," he says, using that endearment that always makes her mandibles flutter, and steps back so he doesn't have to look up to her when he smiles. "You hungry? There's a place I passed that looks pretty good for both of us." He huffs and shrugs. "It smelled good, anyways. It has to be good, right?"

"You mean the levo smelled good or the dextro too?" She smiles teasingly and trills a laugh when he grins and shrugs, feigning indifference. His expression warms at her amusement and he holds up his hand for her to take if she chooses - which she _definitely_ does, turian social customs be damned. His hand squeezes hers as soon as they get their fingers lined up correctly and he grabs her luggage with his other. She struggles a bit, but gives in. "I can get it. It's kinda heavy."

"What kind of guy would I be making my muñeca carry her heavy luggage, then?" He motions towards the exit, where the crowd thins as everyone parts on their own ways into the Citadel. He moves to walk, but huffs and jerks forward, as if being held back by her luggage. "Dios mio. You weren't kidding! What'd you pack?" She pulls her mandibles together in a pout and he laughs, squeezing her hand and pulling her to him as he lowers his voice. "I'm sorry," he says, but she knows full well he's too amused to truly feel regret, and she struggles not to smile at the man she's missed so much.

"No you aren't," she responds, playing with him, but leans down when he shifts onto his toes and presses her forehead to his with a loving thrum. "You're so mean."

He makes a soft humming sound and presses a quick kiss to her mouth plates. "Then let me buy you lunch and make it up to you."

Snorting, she smirks and leads him out. "You were going to buy me lunch anyways, so I'll think of something you can _really_ do to make it up to me."

"Oh, I'm in for it, aren't I?" When she glances at him, he mock winces and she smiles.

"I may - _may_ \- forgive you depending on how good my lunch is. Because I love you," she adds, a warm purr underlying her tease.

His expression softens into a smile. "Then I better take you somewhere nice. Because I love you."

True to his word, there is a small cafe on the way back to his hotel that fills the air with a wonderful scent of cooking meat. Even the scent of something levo doesn't mask how good the dextro cooking is as it surrounds her when they step into the quaint shop. James mentions something about it looking like a restaurant from somewhere called 'France,' but Sol just notices the long, glass covered cooler beside the small counter with all manner of sliced meats, breads, and desserts on black and white platters. She assumes white is levo from the fact that the black contains all dextro ingredients from afternoon delights she's had back on Palaven to quarian light desserts. On the wall behind the counter, a menu stands tall and full of options and, beneath that, a large window that looks into the kitchen. That is where the appetizing smells drift from to fill the sparsely populated cafe.

"Welcome, sir and ma'am," the young salarian girl behind the counter says, dipping her head in greeting. "Welcome to Bleu Bistro. Feel free to take as long as you need to take a look at our menu." Turning to motion the cool counter, she explains. "Or we have cold dishes already made if you'd like something lighter." She smiles at Sol and James. "Or, if you want sweets only, we have all our choices here and I can make you come tea or coffee to go with it." When Sol looks up to the menu with James, the girl speaks again. "If you'd like, I can get you something to drink while you decide."

"Hey, yeah." James pulls Sol's bag to the counter and sets it against the flat of it as he approaches the salarian clerk. "I'm actually ready to order," he says and Sol looks down to see him returning her gaze. "Do you still need some time?"

Smiling, Sol shakes her head and rumbles, sure of her order from the moment she saw the dish on the menu. "I'm ready."

"Go ahead, muñeca." He grins when she trills shyly at the endearment and steps back from the center of the counter so she can come closer once she recollects herself.

"I'd like the seared sea pectinidae." She growls softly just at the thought of the salty delicacy that seems so affordable here compared to on Palaven. Perhaps it has a lot to do with more water-comfortable species being able to harvest the dextro clams, but whatever the reason, she's stunned at the chance to indulge without costing too much of James' credits.

"Nice choice," James says, giving a nod as he looks up at the menu. "Steak frites sounds good to me. Medium rare." Eyes widening a fraction in realization, he adds with a chuckle, "And a coke to drink. Sol?"

"Just a water, please."

"Nah, nah." He waves his hand as he scoffs playfully. "Live a little, muñeca."

She hums and lifts her brow plates at his mock pout before rumbling in amusement, nodding. "Okay, okay. I'll have a kura berry tupari."

The salarian girl nods and types the order into a small terminal on the counter. "If you wouldn't mind checking your screen to make sure it's all correct. If it is, then please pay on the kiosk." She smiles. "It's policy to ensure customer convenience."

Sol lets James look over the order as the clerk turns away to fill their glasses with their chosen drinks, moving to the cooler to gaze at the treats within. She's never seen some of the turian desserts made quite like this restaurant has, but maybe it's a stylistic choice. With how fancy the menu is, she wouldn't be surprised if the desserts were more decadent than most restaurants typically at this price range.

"Anything good?" James says from her side, a drink in each hand as he scans the food in the cooler, eye slightly narrowed in scrutiny.

Sol chuckles, smiling at his cute expression, and takes her drink to free his hand. "I don't know how to pick levo desserts. I can't even taste them like you can."

He makes a snorting sound as he leans back and follows after her when she picks out a small table, dragging her luggage behind him. "So you're saying that if it's bad for you, it's good for me?" He smirks, probably knowing _exactly_ what she's thinking the moment he says it.

"Like your eggs? Yes," she deadpans and he laughs.

"Hey, my huevos rancheros are legendary." He scoffs, feigning insult as he sits down across from her.

She hums and smirks, leaning closer. "They smell, J."

He smirks back at her and shrugs, taking a drink of his fizzling beverage. Their conversation quickly diverges to cover the time they have been without the other, telling stories in any effort to include each other in the time apart on opposite sides of the universe. They barely notice the time it takes for their hot food to come to their table, but the moment the amazing scent wafts to her nose, Sol's stomach makes its need painfully obvious.

"So, has Scars figured it out, yet?" James grins around his bite of steak and she chuckles at his obviously shared excitement at being found out by her brother.

"No," she says, purring as her mandibles flare. "Jane knows, but I think that even if he _does_ realize, he refuses to believe it."

James laughs, the two of them absolutely loving the fact that their relationship would probably give Garrus an everlasting migraine. If he thought she was tiresome alone, she could only imagine the fun she'll have once he finds out she and James have been seeing each other for quite some time. True, she and James weren't overtly obvious about their affections, but they certainly weren't making an effort to hide it either. Garrus likes to think himself an observant detective - and maybe he is - but he certainly isn't proving to be all that aware of Sol's love live involving an equally as frustrating James.

She gets way too much enjoyment over being his annoying little sister that she and James joining forces is just too good. Only shame is that it'd just ruin their effort if they came out and said their intentions against her brother.

"Damn. It's almost a shame Scars won't just accept and brood over it," James says, stuffing a slice of meat into his mouth and pointing his fork at her. He waits to chew and swallow before speaking again. "Man, I just wanna rub it in his face that we're dating."

Sol chuckles and sips her drink. "We could always show up to his place one day and stay in one guest bedroom." She growls, flexing her mandibles seductively. "No better way to make it painfully obvious."

She gets quite a laugh out of her mate's embarrassment over sex, thrumming when he coughs and his cheeks darken just a shade. Still, she knows James can stand up to her, but it must just be a human thing. She can live with it, even get amusement from it, because she knows the embarrassment isn't over her. Never over her.


End file.
